1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cutters with a rotary cutting wheel and commonly used on pizzas and, more particularly, to a cutter with a separable cutting sheel and operating handle.
2. Background Art
Cutting utensils having a rotary cutting wheel are known in the art. In one prior art structure, an elongate handle is extended through a hub on the wheel in alignment with the rotational axis of the wheel and is used to operate the cutting utensil. A user grasps the handle, which extends on both sides of the wheel, in the manner that a rolling pin is held, and presses the peripheral cutting edge on the wheel against the material to be cut. As the wheel is rolled under pressure, the material is severed in the path traced by the wheel edge.
An exemplary structure is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,200,284, to Wheaton. In Wheaton, a plurality of cutting wheels are carried on an elongate handle. The most notable drawback with the Wheaton structure is that removal of the cutting wheels from the handles and replacement of the wheels thereon cannot be readily accomplished. This type of cutting utensil is by its nature very difficult to package given the substantial length of the handle and the substantial diameter of the cutting wheel.
Another problem with conventional type wheel cutters is that the wheels are often mounted so as to be unstable under the pressure applied during cutting. Designers contend with the competing objectives of allowing free rotation of and giving suitable support for the cutting wheel.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,089,881, to Dohring, a cutting wheel has an associated hub which has a cylindrical portion that closely surrounds a shaft and rotates relative thereto. The substantial contact area between the hub and shaft accounts for the development of large friction forces that inhibit free rotation of the wheels.
Alternatively, if the supporting contact area between the wheel and shaft is as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,346,956, to Wezel et al, the wheels, if not otherwise supported, tend to wobble as the cutting utensil is operated.